7 Informative Social Media Books Worth Reading
The social media business is a very dynamic one. It’s developing and growing fast, and there are always opportunities to learn how to do things right and grow your business more effectively using the social media. There are plenty of books out there that promise you unreasonable things without providing you with the tips and theory you need to truly “get” social media. Whether you are new to this world or just want to hone your skills, you want to pick up books that are worth your while and provide you with tips you can implement in your business. Here are 7 very informative social media books that do just that:
The Social Media Bible: if you are new to the social media or just don’t know whether you have been using it to your full advantage, this book is a must read. Provides you with a good overview of what may work for your business.
The New Community Rules – Marketing on the Social Web: if you have been taking advantage of the social media without getting any results, you may want to take a look at this book. It may have the solutions for you.
The Social Media Marketing Book: an easy to understand guide that will show you how your business can take advantage of blogs, social networking sites, and beyond. Great for beginners.
Socialnomics: a very good book on theory. It shows you how the idea of “social” has changed the way companies do business. Shows you how successful businesses are taking advantage of those top social media services.
The Twitter Book Review
It’s not everyday that you get to read a Tim O’reilly book. Tim is an absolute legend in the Web 2.0 world, and with the help of Sarah Milstein he has put together a Twitter book for the ages. Twitter is already the next big thing in the Web 2.0 world and people are jumping on board to get a piece of this cool social networking service. It’s funny that a lot of folks didn’t give Twitter a chance just a few months ago, but now everyone’s talking about how great Twitter is going to be. Whichever camp you belonged to, you can get started and master the art of tweeting with The Twitter Book. A lot of people don’t really get what Twitter is about, which is why they have stayed away from participating in this amazing community. In reality, there is a whole lot of value in being involved in this community, so unless you like watching others reap the rewards, you better get started with Twitter now.
The Twitter Book is a cool guide that shows you why you need to be on Twitter. It shows you how you can get your message out and push your brand to the next level by creating a big following in this community. The book is designed for people who feel uncomfortable with tweeting. Whether you are an employee or a small business owner, this books teaches you the tips and tricks you need to get more followers on Twitter, learn new things, build your network, and push your business to the right audience.
I have been a fan of Tim O’reilly for years, so I may be a bit biased here. But if you have read any of his work, you probably know how good he is in conveying the most complicated concepts in the simplest terms. Twitter is not that complicated but this book is well written and easy to understand, so even a caveman can learn how to get the best out of Twitter. What I like about this book is the fact that it teaches you how to use Twitter right. There are a lot of spammers on Twitter who do make a quick buck here or there but never have the strategy to build something value using Twitter. Tim shows you how to avoid the most deadly mistakes on Twitter, and how to build your own super network without engaging in shady activities.
Twitter is more than just talking about what you eat everyday, and after reading the first few pages of this book, you are going to realize that. Getting started with Twitter may look complicated and pointless, but once you grab the concepts that are discussed on this book, you are going to wonder what took you so long to get on Twitter. Overall, an excellent book from a legend in the Web 2.0 world.
Verdict: A+
Twitter API – Up and Running Review
Twitter is one of the hottest web properties these days. It’s growing so fast even its founders are struggling to keep up. But what’s even more exciting than talking with your tweeps on Twitter is playing with some of the apps that have been written for the Twitter platform. Twitter is truly a data goldmine, and a lot of talented developers have taken advantage of Twitter API to write sophisticated tools that can analyze the data and give you actionable information. Now you can do your market research, trend analysis, brainstorming, product research, and brand promotion all with the help of top Twitter applications. But you don’t have to wait for others to write Twitter applications for you when you can learn to do it yourself by reading Twitter API – Up and Running.
I have been a fan or O’reilly books for years. If you want to know about the most cutting edge technologies out there, there is no better place to refer to than O’reilly publishing. Twitter API: Up and Running is the latest O’reilly book that is written to help you get started with Twitter API fast. The platform is expanding fast, and there is no reason you shouldn’t play a bigger part in it. Whether you want to make money from your application or just provide value to Twitter community with your apps, this is the book that you are going to need to start writing those killer apps.
Who’s This Book For
Simple answer: for anyone who’s interested in doing more than just tweeting all day. Twitter is full of great information. Twiter API allows you to get more out of the platform by enabling you to develop killer market research, trend analysis, friend management, and account management apps. I was impressed with how easy-t0-read this book was. Kevin does not try to go over your head and assuming anything about your web development knowledge. It’s probably necessary to be familiar with how web apps work, but you don’t have to be an expert in CSS or PHP to take advantage of what’s presented in this book.
Twitter API – Up and Running gets you started with a Hello Twitter chapter that familiarizes you with various Twitter concepts. I strongly recommend everyone read this chapter before moving ahead. It’s a great read and builds the foundation for you to get a better understanding on how Twitter applications work. The second chapter takes you beyond theory and familiarizes you with a few top Twitter applications available on the market. The more you study Twitter apps, the better you can figure out the unfulfilled needs and wants of the community. And in case you are not comfortable with web programming, you are going to get a crash course in the third chapter.
The rest of the chapters walk you through everything you need to know to write sophisticated Twitter applications. But, what I was most excited about this book was the task automation chapter. I don’t know about you, but I rather outsource non-core Twitter activities, and what a better way to do that by writing an app to get the job done. I am not suggesting that you should use task automation to add a massive number of friends on the go, but there are simple tasks that can be automated. In this chapter, you learn how to do just that.
The Sample Applications chapter is another great one for those of you interested in doing things the practical way. Kevin will get you familiar with various applications to help you build a better understanding of how to write exciting apps using Twitter API. You can read theory all day, but if you are more interested in actually doing some coding instead of reading theory, this is a must read chapter.
Overall, Twitter API – Up and Running takes you from beginner to pro in a flash. You should take time to familiarize yourself with MySQL and other web development technologies to write killer apps, but this book teaches you the concepts and provides you with sample codes to get you started. And it helps that it’s one of the most addictive technical books on the market (once you pick it up you don’t want to put it down!). If you are tired of just tweeting all the time and want to get your hands dirty with some Twitter API coding, reading this book is a great place to start. Another smash hit by O’reilly!
*don’t forget to check the book’s official page for more information.
